M.O.M. (Mom Operating Manual) by Doreen Cronin and Laura Cornell, will remind you immediately of Cronin’s hilarious “Diary of a Worm” series, as well as the Jamie Lee Curtis books, because of the Cornell’s smile-inducing illustrations.

M.O.M. is the perfect gift for children of anyone who recognizes the many jobs of mothers and ways we sometimes carry out our stressful roles. The humorous illustrations describe situations most of us can relate to, so even mothers who take themselves too seriously may crack a smile. Detailed and colorful pages are designed to be read in any order, like an operating manual, rather than as a “story” which is appealing to readers who prefer the “magazine” approach to reading. (My son likes to read this way.)